A Woman's Touch

clipboard out of her fingers. „No, you don’t, Becky,“ he said bluntly. „This has gone far enough. I love you, and from all indications you love me. That settles it. We’ll get married as soon as we can get a license. I’m not going to let you put me through another set of hoops, lady. You’ve connived, manipulated and otherwise created enough havoc in my life. Be satisfied with your vengeance and let’s call off the war.“
    She reached for her clipboard. „I want a courtship, Kyle. Hearts and flowers. Big wedding. The works. I’m not going to move in with you until I get it.“
    „Becky, why?“ he raged helplessly. „It’s a stupid waste of time.“
    „I don’t see it that way,“ she said softly. „It has become painfully apparent that the Stockbridge men need a bit of polishing.“
    „And you’re willing to do the polishing?“
    „It’s the least I can do for the man I love.“
    Rebecca determined that Kyle would never know just how badly she had been shaking when she left his office that morning. She’d held her breath, but during the days that followed, it became clear that her gamble had paid off.
    Kyle loved her, and he was willing to prove it with a courtship. Her office and hotel room were filled with flowers.
    She was taken dining and dancing every night of the week. The dinners were candlelit and the dancing was intimate.
    But the best part was that most of the shadows that had always cloaked Kyle were receding once again. In the days that followed Rebecca’s announcement of her intention to marry him, Kyle smiled and joked and laughed more than he had during the previous two months.
    Over the candlelit dinners, Kyle began to open up and talk to Rebecca. About his past. About his father. About the future. It was as if he’d been freed from a time warp.
    And he was insatiably curious about Rebecca, too. He wanted to know everything about her. She answered his questions, half amused, half enthralled and watched as he emerged into the full light of day.
    There were times when the infamous Stockbridge temper flared briefly. Most notable was the first occasion when Rebecca had said goodnight to Kyle at her hotel-room door. He had accepted the fact that she would not come home with him, but he clearly had not been expecting her to refuse to return to the intimacy of their earlier relationship.
    „Becky, this is crazy,“ he raged in a tight voice as he stood in the hall outside her room. „Let me in.“
    „No,“ she said gently. „Not yet.“
    „I want you. Damn it. If you close that door in my face, I’ll break it down.“
    A door opened down the hall, and a plump, middle-aged man stuck his bald head out into the corridor. „Hey, keep it down out there. We’re trying to sleep.“
    Kyle sent the man a look that caused him to quickly close his door.
    „You’re causing a scene, Kyle,“ Rebecca said. „I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. I know Stockbridges are good at scenes, but Wades don’t care for them.“
    Kyle swore. „Let me inside. We’ll talk about this.“
    „No, we won’t. If I let you inside, I won’t be able to get you back out again.“
    His eyes gleamed. „I’m glad you realize that.“
    „Get lost, Kyle,“ she said with a soft laugh. „I’ll see you at work in the morning.“
    „Becky, this hotel must be costing you a fortune. You don’t need to stay here. Come back to my place. There’s a spare bedroom.“
    „Which I’d never get a chance to use. No, thanks, Kyle.“ She yawned. „Excuse me. Got to get my sleep if I’m going to be any use to you in the morning.“
    „I’ve got a use for you right now,“ he began and then swore again, this time with resignation as the door closed gently in his face.
    Rebecca leaned back against the door and listened to his footsteps as they faded away down the hall. Then she smiled to herself and began to get ready for bed.
    The man loved her. There could no longer be any real doubt. She’d been almost certain all along but now she was finding out for sure. She would wait a little longer, however, before she put him out of his misery.
    She shook her head ruefully as she snagged her nightgown from the closet and went toward the bathroom. It was beyond her why the Stockbridge wives and the Cork women hadn’t ever figured out how to handle the Stockbridge men.
    The trick was to stand up to them. After you did that, you put them on a short rein. The Stockbridges had all been strong men, and strong men